Advisory Council

Adam Aaronson

Adam Aaronson

Adam Aaronson has been at the heart of British studio glass for nearly 40 years, first running galleries dedicated to glass art and subsequently as a glass artist in his own right, learning how to create glass art later in his career and developing self-taught methods. Adam is a skilled maker and a truly diverse and talented glass artist. He is constantly experimenting with techniques and exploring new ideas, including the potential of large sculptural works designed for the outdoors. Adam was a founding member of ACID.

Alexander Croft

Alexander Croft

Managing Director of Crofts & Assinder

Alex Crofts is the Managing Director of Crofts & Assinder Ltd a company based in Birmingham specialising in the design, manufacture and global distribution of cabinet and architectural hardware and fittings. Alex has worked at Crofts & Assinder Ltd for 9 years and became Managing Director in 2009.

Prior to joining Crofts & Assinder Ltd, Alex worked for 3 years at American Express specialising in industrial relations case management and previously held the role of Head of Recruitment. Previously Alex was employed by Ford Motor Company where he worked in the Human Resource Management Department and was located at both the Dagenham Engine Plant and Basildon Offices specialising in industrial relations, training, diversity and business relationship management.

Alex graduated from Newcastle University with a BA in Ancient History and a MA in Human Resource Management. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and is an alumni of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 small business programme. Alex is also a Liveryman and Court member of the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers based in the City of London. He lives in Sussex.

Angus Gardner

Angus Gardner

Caroline Gardner Publishing Ltd

The Caroline Gardner brand began in 1993, after a chance meeting between Caroline and a neighbour who was looking for handmade cards on behalf of a Japanese gallery. In 1995, with a move south of the river, Caroline – inundated with orders – decided she needed some help with her card-making, so she set up a home office and hired an office hand. From here she didn’t look back and her husband Angus Gardner joined the business as a Director and together they laid the foundations for the future of the business.

In 2003 the Company found its new home by the river Thames and the next few years saw steady growth as the Caroline Gardner brand came to settle in most corners of the UK – partnerships with John Lewis and other household names deepened and Caroline’s iconic style seen in the ‘classic cg’ and ‘die-stamped’ card ranges was born. Some of the company’s most recognisable designs, such as ditsy and the timeless hearts, followed quickly on, and were then used to develop the exciting new gift products. It was here that Caroline’s quirky colour palette found its voice.

In 2014 – the Company made its very own leap into the world of retail. Now based in Fulham in West London, with a central London store and selling in over 20 different countries, the brand and its team, is happier and better than ever.

Dids Macdonald

Dids Macdonald

Dids Macdonald, OBE, has over 25 years experience within the design industry, initially owning an interior design company and later as a designer-maker. She co-founded ACID (Anti Copying in Design) because her products were consistently copied. Today ACID represents thousands of designers within the creative industries. In 2011, Design was recommended by the Prime Minister as one of 10 key areas for new, clear IP policy. On October 1 2014, history was made by various reforms being included in the IP Act. Of particular importance to designers is the introduction of criminal provisions for the intentional infringement of a registered design in line with copyright and trade marks, a campaign spearheaded by ACID.

Dids is the First Assistant to the Court of the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers. ACID is supported by the “Alliance for Intellectual Property” of which Dids is Vice Chair. She was made an Honorary Fellow of the British Institute of Interior Design in June 2015. Also in June 2015, Dids was made an Officer of Order of the British Empire (OBE) in Her Majesty’s Birthday Honours for her services to the design industry. She was elected a member of the Design Week Hall of Fame in June 2016 and in July 2016 was awarded the 1st ever IP Champion on British IP Day.

Dr Frederick Mostert

Dr Frederick Mostert

Research Fellow at Oxford Intellectual Property Research Centre, University of Oxford

Dr Frederick Mostert is a Past President of the International Trademark Association and is currently a Research Fellow at Oxford, and Fellow at Peking University where he has taught for 20 years. He is a former Chief Intellectual Property Counsel of Richemont which includes Cartier, Van Cleef and Arpels, and Alfred Dunhill.

He is principal author and editor of “Famous and Well-known Marks”, cited by US Federal Courts, UK High Courts, and in judgements around the world and has authored “From Edison to iPod – Protect Your Ideas”, a guide for entrepreneurs and creatives. Mostert is a member of the New York Bar and a solicitor of England and Wales. Notable pro bono legal assistance was provided to President Mandela, the Shaolin Monks, and the Confucius Foundation, a Hong Kong children’s charity. He was inducted into the Intellectual Property Hall of Fame and he is a recipient of a Life Achievement Award by the Global Legal Post.

Duncan Maclay

Duncan Maclay

Duncan Maclay spent 12 years on Fleet Street running national newspaper Sports Desks before joining the family business Thisisnessie which he helped his wife to found in 2012. The business now employs fifteen staff. Nessie McClay heads the creative side of the business, and Duncan provides the leadership and vision on the business side while his experience in print media and technology ensures that Thisisnessie is always on the cutting edge. Duncan holds a Masters’ Degree in English Literature from the University of Edinburgh and Nessie has a First Class Honours degree from Edinburgh College of Art.

Thisisnessie is a thriving business specialising in producing quirky personalised prints, stationery and homewares based on watercolour illustrations, selling through their own website and key marketplaces such as Notonthehighstreet, Etsy and others.

Having created a multi-million pound market Thisisnessie found themselves besieged by copiers and imitators both large and small, leading them to ACID. Duncan is committed in particular to finding ways to protect small businesses from copying online; to putting the author back into authenticity and to standing at the vanguard of baking a conscience into creativity in the UK.

Fred McCaig

Fred McCaig

Gaze Burvill Ltd

Fred is Operations Director at Gaze Burvill Ltd. Established twenty five years ago, Gaze Burvill designs and manufacturers outdoor furniture and kitchens. In his role, Fred is responsible for all operational aspects of the business, ensuring all the teams have sufficient resources, materials, capabilities and process to operate effectively. This also includes compliance in statutory areas such as Health and Safety, GDPR and managing the registration and protection of the Gaze Burvill designs.

Originally from East Devon, Fred has worked in a range of manufacturing SME since leaving the Army in 1994. With a high level of experience in manufacturing in food and drink, furniture is only different in the final product as the companies he has worked with strive for excellence with brands that rely on quality in product and service.

Fred lives with his family in Petersfield and is active in local politics and participates in Triathlons.

Gavin Llewellyn

Gavin Llewellyn

Stone King LLP

Gavin is an intellectual property lawyer at Stone King LLP’s London office, specialising in design law and brands. Gavin joined Stone King LLP in 2014 in order to focus on the creative sector after spending 16 years with leading London law firms Theodore Goddard and Berwin Leighton Paisner LLP, where he gained many years’ experience in advising and guiding ACID members as an ACID Legal Affiliate and his passion for protecting design.

His practice has a particular focus on design and brand protection and exploitation and on helping businesses deal with disputes and risks related to IP. He has a wealth of expertise in the areas of copyright, design rights, trade marks, passing off, database rights, domain names, image rights, privacy and the protection of valuable, commercial data.

Gavin provides his clients with a full spectrum of advice, from strategic advice on the use, protection and exploitation of IP rights, through to their enforcement through Court proceedings. He also assists businesses on the receiving end of infringement claims, defending and, where possible, settling actions. Part of Gavin’s practice is also advising on the commercial aspects of IP, such as licences and assignments of IP rights, agency/distribution agreements and the IP aspects of business sales.

Gavin is the President of the Intellectual Property Commission of the UIA (International Association of Lawyers) and speaks regularly at UIA conferences around the world about various aspects of IP law. He is also a member of the editorial committee of the UIA’s ‘Juriste International’ legal magazine and is a fluent French speaker.

Jane Banyai

Jane Banyai

Operations Director, Anti Copying In Design

Jane Banyai joined ACID in 2004, holding various administrative roles within the organisation which has contributed to a broad level of experience in all aspects of ACID as a fast moving and exciting membership organisation. As Operations Director, Jane oversees the ACID membership team with responsibility for all the activities within the organisation which contribute to the effective delivery of services, benefits and communications to our members.

Jane’s role is to translate ACID’s strategic objectives and long term goals into the day to day delivery of the ACID offer to membership and her key priority is to ensure that the ACID team are responsive to the needs of a diverse membership with ever changing needs. Working closely with ACID’s CEO in the decision-making involved in achieving our objectives to provide ACID’s members with a safer trading environment and communicating the value of original design. This involves planning and deciding the best use of resources. With the help of the experienced ACID team, Jane is intent on continually improving the performance of ACID.

Karin Verzariu

Karin Verzariu

Key Interiors

Karin Verzariu, graduate of the New York School of Interior Design and Member of BIID, also served as Director of the Institute. She is managing and design director of interior design company Key Interiors as well as of Black & Key, designers and manufacturers of bespoke furniture and accessories; these products are hand-crafted in the UK. Karin has lectured to groups of designers in London, Beijing and Moscow on the subject of interior design.

Karin’s work for both companies has featured in many interior design publications. Her interior design projects include listed buildings in the UK and properties abroad. Key Interiors won the 2009 Lighting Design Award for residential projects and was short-listed for a KBB bathroom award in 2013.

Black & Key won a Design Et Al award in 2013. Many of the company’s pieces feature in David Linley’s refurbishment of Claridge’s Deco Suites and in many projects internationally.

Laura Breen

Laura Breen

Head of Legal, Trunki

Trunki’s Head of Legal, Laura Breen, originally joined the company in 2013 as PA to CEO & Trunki Daddy Rob Law. As time progressed, Laura became more involved in the company’s ever expanding IP issues. As a result, there was a natural lean towards developing her diverse legal knowledge base, pioneering a multi-faceted approach to Brand Protection and becoming the manager responsible for all aspects of Intellectual Property at Trunki. Laura often contributes to the ACID newsletter, and has delivered presentations on the subject of IP in the UK and Europe.

Laura holds an Upper Second Class Honours in Psychology from the Open University, and is also the Human Resources and Office Manager for Trunki.

Originally founded in 2006 by Rob Law MBE, Trunki is celebrating their 10th birthday this year – 10 years of happy travels! During this time they’ve built an ever expanding active and passionate presence in the world of IP. Trunki proactively engage with designers on the subject of design protection, openly sharing ongoing triumphs and challenges with copycats and 100% fakes on design; the most notable of these being the recent high profile Supreme Court case.

Mel Holliday

Mel Holliday

Chiselwood Limited

Mel Holliday is co-founder with her husband Martin Holliday of Chiselwood Limited, designers and manufacturers of handmade kitchens and furniture. She has been in her role as managing director for nearly 30 years. Chiselwood has won many accolades over the years for its unique designs including the only European kitchen company to reach the world finals in the USA Sub Zero Design contest in 2017.

Mel has been proactive in protecting Chiselwood designs looking to ACID for support when their IP has been infringed. Mel constantly strives to ensure that both Chiselwood designs and those companies she works alongside are armed with the information they need to protect their IP.

Niall Head Rapson

Niall Head Rapson

McDaniel & Co

Niall Head Rapson is a graduate of Kings College, London with a degree in Biotechnology (B.Sc.) Hons. He then studied law and undertook a Diploma in Intellectual Property Law at Queen Mary College London. After leaving the City, Niall was a partner at top 100 firms Martineau Johnson and Ward Hadaway before establishing McDaniel & Co covering all aspects of Intellectual Property.

Over the last 23 years, he been involved in leading cases in all aspects of Intellectual Property in areas of Patent Law, Copyright, Design, Trade Marks and Confidential Information. Niall Head-Rapson also has significant commercial experience having been director and board chair of Biostatus (www.biostatus.co.uk) a company which provides novel solutions for imaging, cytometry and screening. Niall also spent time as the Intellectual Property Manager at the Centre of Excellence for Life Sciences in Newcastle and was the commercial director for Piranha Studios, an IP licensing business.

Niall has worked with ACID as an Affiliate Lawyer for over ten years and has acted successfully on behalf of many ACID members. He has a keen awareness of design law, SME issues and has supported the organisation carrying out many IP mediations at exhibitions.

Nick Kounoupias

Nick Kounoupias

Kounoupias IP

Nick Kounoupias has been the Chief Legal Counsel for Anti Copying in Design (ACID) since 2008 advising the organisation on the intellectual property aspects of design lobbying issues. In 2014 he, together with ACID’s CEO Dids Macdonald, OBE, led the successful campaign on behalf of UK designers to recognise the intentional copying of registered designs as a criminal offence. In recognition of his contribution to the design industries Nick was appointed a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Furniture Makers and a Freeman of the City of London.

Nick is also the founder and CEO of Kounoupias IP, a boutique Intellectual Property consultancy providing strategic guidance on IP and anti-piracy matters both within the UK and internationally. Nick is an acknowledged pioneer in the international IP and anti-piracy worlds, a UK solicitor and one of the best known names in the international anti-piracy world. He has practised across all the IP sectors since 1986 both in private practice and in house and during that time developed a formidable international reputation for his depth of IP knowledge and diverse strengths.

As one of the UK’s leading experts in IP and anti-piracy matters Nick is in huge demand for his thought leadership on IP issues and regularly contributes to IP journals, books and regularly provides professional training on IP at seminars and webinars. Nick has crafted and delivered many tailored training courses on anti-piracy and brand protection matters across the IP spectrum and presented these to Government, statutory enforcement bodies and industry.

He successfully lobbied for and helped draft the Copyright and Trade Mark (Offences and Enforcement) Act 2002 and the IP Act 2014 and for many years has passionately represented rights owners across the world campaigning for improvements to copyright, trade mark and designs laws.

Nick is passionate about protecting intellectual property rights and is regularly instructed from all over the world to advise on IP issues and to provide strategic guidance and support to UK and international IP businesses, those involved in the creative industries, academic institutions, law enforcement and government agencies. Nick is also a fully accredited mediator and has conducted several mediations in the IP arena.

He consistently adds value to his clients’ IP and anti-piracy strategies, possesses extensive experience of managing and conducting investigations in the IP sector and pursuing appropriate enforcement routes to protect their IP. In particular is considered to have pioneered the use of private prosecutions of copyright infringers for the music industry.

Amongst Nick’s many industry appointments are the following: founder and Vice Chairman of the Alliance for IP (previously the cross-industry Alliance against Counterfeiting and Piracy) , a Board Director of the Federation against Software Theft (FAST), Chief Legal Counsel to Anti-Copying in Design (“ACID”) and its representative at the legal group meetings of the Alliance for IP, a founder and regular participant and thought leader at the UK Government’s IP Crime Group, director of the Anti-Counterfeiting Group, and former Chair of its enforcement sub-committee, a founder and a former executive director of the cross-industry Copyright Hotline, and Chairman of the anti-piracy committee of the international music collecting society association BIEM.

Rachael Taylor

Rachael Taylor

Rachael Taylor & Make it in Design

Surface Pattern Designer, Illustrator and Director at Rachael Taylor. Co-founder of Make it in Design.

Rachael Taylor is a fun and energetic surface pattern designer and illustrator who creates ‘patterns to make you happy’! Since graduating from university in 2005, Rachael has been lucky enough to work for a number of prestigious clients worldwide. Rachael also runs her own design label along with successfully licensing a number of global branded collections. Her designs feature on fashion, home decor, greetings, stationery, gadgets and ceramics.

In addition Rachael is the sole author and designer for ’20 Ways to Draw a Doodle’ and ‘Draw 500 Dazzling Doodles’ with Quarry Books! It is the perfect creative book and resource for illustrators, cartoonists, doodlers and anyone who loves to sketch. Over seventy pieces of her work can also be found in a number of renowned design books from Print and Pattern (LKP Publishing) to A House Beautiful Home Business (Brightword publishing). The designer is also a hit with the press with her designs appearing in numerous leading publications and on the television.

She is also co-founder of the groundbreaking e-course called The Art and Business of Surface Pattern Design in which the esteemed designer teaches and shares her expertise and knowledge in surface pattern design. The success of the e-course lead the brand new ventures, Make it in Design and MOYO Magazine.

Rachael is also regularly hired to deliver seminars and lectures around the UK & more recently the USA.

Rachel Jones

Rachel Jones

Totseat

Rachel created the Totseat travel highchair after several, unsuccessful experiences of eating out with her baby daughter. Either the highchairs proffered were filthy, offered from within the storage of the loos, or they were old, unloved and unsafe. Keen to keep her child anchored safely and comfortably, enabling a happy family outing, what began as a ‘jumper tied around a chair’ turned into the Totseat travel highchair. The Totseat’s ingenious design allows it to be adapted to fit chairs, and babies, of all shapes and sizes, making it a must-have accessory for anyone out and about with a baby. Now an award-winning brand, sold by major retailers around the globe, the Totseat has strong IP and a fierce team defending it. Anyone found to be breaching the Totseat’s IP is actively pursued – small or significant, as some now know to their cost.

Rachel’s passion for IP has led to her being recognised as a leading expert on how SMEs can best protect their IP on global e-commerce platforms. In addition to Totseat, she works alongside the team at snapdragon-ip.com, an e-commerce monitoring and take-down service, specifically for SMEs.

Rodney McMahon

Rodney McMahon

Managing Director Morgan Furniture

Rodney has a degree in Economics and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants. His passion for manufacturing in the UK and interest in design, led to the acquisition and revitalisation of Morgan and he is active in shaping the future of the furniture industry, particularly through training.

Rodney is Finance Director and past Chairman of the BCFA, and he is on the Council of the Furniture Industry Research Association; he is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts; and he is Chairman of the Trustees of the Edward Barnsley Educational Trust.

Morgan Furniture is a wholly British, design led business making contemporary furniture for the contract market from its dedicated 4500m2 workshops and studio in Hampshire where we start the process with trees and finish with beautifully crafted chairs.

We believe the design and manufacture of truly original, high-quality furniture is the result of passion, design integrity, experience, craftsmanship and an unfaltering dedication to quality.

Russell Cameron

Russell Cameron

Innermost

Russell Cameron co-founded the British design brand Innermost with fellow designer Steve Jones in 1999. Innermost has gone on to collaborate with emerging and established designers around the world designing and producing their own award-winning brand of innovative lighting and furniture for the residential and hospitality industries. With offices in London and Hong Kong, Innermost has a distribution network in over 50 countries, and also uses its manufacturing expertise to produce for a select number of other global design brands.

Russell is based in London and Shropshire and is also a Lighting Industry Association Council member.

Terry Dady

Terry Dady

Microslat

My first aluminium extrusions were launched into the retail and library markets in 1998 for the display of audio/visual products. Following on from this success saw me design and develop an aluminium slatwall in 2000. The global success of the aluminium slatwall saw the development of a full range of extrusions. The MicroSlat brand and logo was invented and saw the beginning of MicroSlat International Limited. We have 17 extrusions in the marketplace today, with a number still yet to be launched. Along with these extrusions many unique metal, acrylic and wooden components have also been designed and developed.

Our products can be found in hundreds of libraries and major retailers globally. The MicroSlat products and branding is globally recognised by leaders in the shop fitting, design and display markets and is considered by many to be the best of its kind.

Design issues:

In recent years, due to our huge global success, we have now seen blatant UK and Chinese copies of our products. Being a member of ACID has helped us understand our Intellectual Property rights and what can and is being done to combat IP theft in the UK. Without being a member of ACID we would struggle to understand any of the highly complex and outdated protection and litigation laws.

Sign up to our Newsletter

Legal Notice: By using this website you agree to be bound by our Conditions of Use. ACID (Anti Copying In Design) is not responsible for content on external websites link to and from this site. ACID (Anti Copying In Design) Ltd. Company Registered in England & Wales Company Registration No. 3402512 – VAT No. 707 5923 23Registered Head Office Unit 14, Staunton Court Business Park, Gloucester, GL19 3QS.The information provided on this website does not provide a complete statement of the present law and you should always take specialist advice in respect of your particular circumstances.